Coin-freed apparatus.



PATBNTED DBG. 18,*1906.4 W. ABEL. G01N PREBD APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1903.

s SHEETS-'SHEET 1.

rus Nafams Perales ca., wAsNlNcfoN. n. c.

'PATE-Nun- DG. 1a, 1906.

W.. ABEL.

GOIN FREED APPARATUS. APPLIGATION FILED s311129, 1903.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTED DEG. 18, 1.905.

W. ABEL. GOIN PRBBDAPPARATUS.

APPLICATION PILED SEPT. 29. 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

TH: :mums FEvsRs :n.JWAsHmn-rolv. n. c.

PATENTED DEG. 18, 1906,

W. ABEL.

COIN FREED APPARATUS.

PPLIGATVION FILED SEPT, 29. 190s.

8 SHEETS-SHEET u. l l I l A l I me Norams Para cc, wAsmNcroN. :s c.

No. 838,930. PATENTEDADEG. 18, 190e. W. ABEL.

GOIN FREED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, 29. 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

1m: :vonnis PETERS ca wnsmwcrcu, n. c.

PATENTED DBC. 18, 1906.

W. ABEL.

GOIN FREED APPARATUS.

AP-PLIGATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1903.

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LTNTTEE STATES PATENT FFTGE.

IYILLY ABEL, OF BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNGR TO HIMSELF, AND HEINRICH WOLLHEIM, OF GRUNEWALD, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY, AND KARL STRAUSS, OF VIESBADEN, GERMANY.

COIN-FREED APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

fo @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, VILLY ABEL, engineer, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 59 and 60 F riedrichstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin- Freed Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to automatic apparatus for vending stamps, labels, or the like which are inserted in the machine in strips or bands. It belongs to those systems wherein the power requisite for the cutting off of an individual stamp or the like and for the forward movement of the band is obtained from one single source of power. By this it is to be understood that one and the same means of powerdfor instance, the hand-power of the purchaser or a mechanical driving mechanism-causes the separation and forward feed in contradistinction to such apparatus wherein one working process is effected by the hand of the buyer and the second working process by the power of a clock-work mechanism or the like.

IYith the hitherto-known apparatus with a unitary source of power the arrangement is such that after actuation first the forward movement and then the separation of the stamp or label is effected. At the same time such movements are given to the parts which cause these two operations that during the progressive movement of said parts in the same direction both processes take place consecutively. From this it may be seen that the members upon their return must travel the same path empty-fi. e., 'uselessly-as they do on making the forward working movement.

)Iy invention embodies novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, whereby important advantages in operation are attained.

The new self-vending machine is shown in the drawings and, namely, as a postagestamp-vending machine.

Figure l shows the arrangement of the automatic vender viewed from one side, Fig. 2, from the side opposite, Fig. 3, in plan, Fig. 4, in end elevation. Figs. 5 and 6 show the changing or reversing gear for operating the separating and holding device in two positions. Fig. 7 shows the delivery-slide in plan 5 Fig. 8, in side elevationwith partial section. Fig. 9 is a detail view showing the action of the separating and the holding device. Fig. 10 is an end elevation showing the stamp-separating device in the position it occupies when beginning the separation.

In the construction shown it is assumed that the delivery device consists of a slide which after being unlocked is drawn out by the purchaser and which returns automatically. The general arrangement of the delivery-slide and of the devices moved thereby can be seen best from the plan shown in Fig. 3. The deliveryeslide a, provided With the handle a, is arranged with its longitudi nal direction parallel to the direction of the forward feed of the strip l. The strip is wound on a roller 2 within the casing b and when drawn off is guided through a groove A between side flanges c. (See Figs. 1 and 3.) rlhe feed device d is connected to the slide c by the lever e in such a way thatl on moving the latter in the direction of the arrow I (shown in Fig. 3) the said feed device cl is moved in the direction of the arrow II, while upon the return of the delivery-slide both parts are moved in a direction opposed to each other. v

In Fig. 3 the part m of the strip l to be cut oif is shown in the advanced position which it takes up after use of the automatic vender. At F the device is arranged for cutting Off and holding fast the part m to be cut off, the details of which will be gone into farther on. To the slide 0. there is furthermore connected a locking device g, which prevents the slide from going back before it is completely drawn out. This locking device is rst released, whereby the return of the slide is also released when the latter has been pulled completely out. A further locking device 7L prevents the withdrawal of the delivery-slide prior to the insertion of the coin by means of which its release is effected. On drawing out the slide c the spring i is set or expanded.

A too violent recoil of the slide when released,

due to the influence of the said spring t', is preferably prevented by an air-buffer device K.

The devices above mentioned will. now be described each in detail.

The feed device for the band can best be seen from Figs. 1 and 3. It is constructed upon the basis that it shall require as little lOO `pivoted to the frame of the apparatus at 8, Ywhile the upper part can be swung to and frictional power as possible in order that it may produce the favorable distribution of power mentioned in the introduction. The strip 1, which is wound off from the roller 2 in the casing b, is guided through the groove 4 to the separating and holding device. The feed of the strip 1 to the length of the part m to be cut off, Fig. 3, is effected by the catches 5, which consist of a considerable number of teeth or pins lying side by side, which are mounted to rotate upon a common axis 6 free and independent of each other. This axis is located in a sliding or oscillating part in the constructional form represented on a long lever 7, which at the bottom is fro over the feed or Isupply channel. The

`feed-lever'7 is articulated at the top at 10 through the arm 9 to the lever e, which in its turn swings roundthe pin 11 and engages with the other forked end 12 with the pin 13 of the slide e, so that-on the mov ement to and fro fof-the latter a corresponding movement to and' fro of'thepart 7 withthe catches 6 is caused These latter lare* arranged obliquely inA such a way that upon the oscillation of the lever 7 they can slide freely in the direction of the arrow Il over the band-strips and more especially over the perforations. lf, on the contrary, the part 7 swings in the opposite direction, then the catches 5 slide freely forward till they engage with the per forations of the strip ofstamps 1 and cause it to be carried along. The part 7 at the same time eXecutes a throw or stroke which is somewhat larger than the distance of the successivelyfollowing strip perforations.

The lever 7 is preferably mounted i-n such a way that as soon as it is guided a little beyond its central position it swings automat- `ically into its terminal position both in the one as well as in the other direction. In the 'present'construction the lever 7 possesses for this purpose a shoulder or attachment 91, which bears against a plate-spring 92. In Fig. 1 the lever 7 is in its outermost position ,to the right and the spring 92 is thereby bent tothe left. lf the lever 7 be moved to the left and if at the same time the shoulder 91 be moved somewhat beyond the central position to the left, then the spring is bent to the right, and thereby throws the lever 7 into the the direction of the arrow I the idle return (return without load) of the catch device 5 6 7 in the direction of the arrow Il. On the contrary, during the automatic return of the slide the forward movement of the feed device will tale place contrary to the direction of the arrow Il. Thus normally the separated portion m, Fig. 3, is in the advanced position. At the same time this takes up the position necessary for separation, whereby the rows'of perforations are below 'the separating-blades.

The device for separating and holding fastv the part to be sold may be described. with reference to Figs. 2, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10. The delivery-slide e has 'an attachment 14, which acts upon a pressure-roller 15, mounted on the lever 16. Said lever 16 is loosely mounted on the axis 17 of the coin-wheel 20. A pawl 18 is pivoted to lever 16 and engages the teeth of ratchet-wheel 19. The latter is fast on the aXle 17 together with coin-wheel'20, so that both wheels (19 and 20) are rotated together by the pawl 18 when the lever 16 is moved from the position shown vin Fig. 6 into the position shown in Fig. 5. Upon'- the periphery of the coin-wheel 20 there runs aro'ller 2l. lt is carried by a lever 22, which is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 23 inthe standard 24. rlhe wheel 20 has an irregular periphery formed by a series of projections and grooves spaced equidistantly.

Around the shaft 23 there oscillate two arms 25, which are preferably coincident in their construction and which, if necessary, can be combined to form one common whole. As these latter lie one behind the other in Fig. 4, only one of the two arms is there visible, while, as may be seen from Fig. 3, inwhat manner they lie side,r by side. These arms 25, which carry the bearings for the retention of the two adjacent parts of the strip to be separated from each other 'during the separating process, stand with their freely-oscillating end 26 under the influence of springs 27, which are fastened to the arms 28, attached to the frame portion 29. The springs 27 normally hold the arms 25 in the lifted position shown in Fig. 4. The bearings 30, attached to the two arms 25, serve to hold fast the advanced. portion of the band and-that which is attached thereto during the separating process. This is effected in that the two bearings 30 on pressing down the lever 25 are pressed against the two parts 31, Fig. 9. Between the two levers or cheek-carriers 25 and between the two cheeks 31, lying below the stamp, there is room for the play of the separating-tool 32, which is preferably blunt. This is rotatably mounted on the'frame 29 at 33 and is held in the inoperative position by the spring 34. As the end of the band, owing to the separating process, inclines slightly downward, there is provided, in order to pre- IOC IIC

IIE

vent upon the next feed movement any contact thereof with the part 81, a weak platespring 93, which guides the end of the band upward again immediately after the back travel of the knife. The levers are furthermore connected at 36 through the springs 85 with the lever 8, which forms the continuation of the aforesaid lever 22. The fastening of the spring 85 to the lever-arm 3 is effected at 37 This carries the pressure-roller 88 into suoli a position that it can come in Contact with the back of the separating-tool 32 when the lever 8 is moved in the direction of the arrow IV.

The method of operation of the separating and the holdfast device is as follows, according to Fig. 4: If by means of the changewheel 2O the lever-arm 22 be moved forward in the direction of the arrow V, then the leverarm 8 will execute a swinging movement in the direction of the arrow TV. Hereby the spring is first expanded or set, and thus causes the downward movement of the arms 25, so that the cheeks 30 press against the part 31. Directly after this has taken place the pressure-roller 88 comes in contact with the back of the separating-blade 32 and presses this downward, Fig. 10, whereby the separation of the part to be sold is effected, Fig. 9. The distance between the fixing or clamping devices 8O 81 is greater than the thickness ofthe sep arating-tool. This arrangement affords advantages from several points of view. In the first place a relatively-blunt tool can be used, as the separation of the portion to be sold is not effected by a cutting or slicing off, but by means of a tensile spring. The strip of stamps is firmly stretched between the fixing device 80 31, so that the blunt knife 32, pressing upon the band, stretches the band tight. As this tension is distributed over a considerable length of band, it is assured that a springing off or coming apart will take place at the weakest part or point of perforation if this should not lie immediately beneath the knife. In this way a guarantee is afforded for ari-always correct separation of the stamp.

As already mentioned in the introduction, it is important that the separating process should take place directly after the commencement of the forward movement of the delivery-slide, because the movement of the delivery-slide affords the greatest amount of resistance. In order, however, that the portion cut off may not freely fall down at once and be placed at the purchasers disposal before the delitery-slide a has been completely drawn or pushed out of the apparatus, the release of the holdfast device does not take place till the delivery-slide ct has entirely completed the movement hereinbefore described. This does not offer any diculties if the change-wheel 2O be made in such a way that the pressure-roller 21 remains in the lifted position till the slide a has entirely completed its travel. This latter problem is solved according to Figs. 5 and 6, in that the eccentric teeth of the change-wheel 20 have been given a suitable form. Normally speaking, the pressure-roller 21 lies in the recesses 41. Furthermore, the locking-wheel 19 is so arranged that upon the complete forward movement of the slide a it is moved farther forward by the length of one tooth or by the length of a certain number of teeth, corresponding to the spacing (or dist ance between) of two successively following recesses 41 of the change-wheel 20. lf, as per Figs. 5, 6, the slide a be moved in the direction of the arrow l, then the ratchet-wheel 19 and the changewheel 2() will be carried along with it in the direction of the arrow. Hereby the pressureroller 21 is lifted by the eccentric teeth 40, this latter being'formed in such a way that the release of the pressure-roller 21 for the engagement with the next recess 41 can take place when the slide a has completely terminated its travel, Fig. 5. It therefore results that the position and formation of the teeth 4() must have a certain relationship with the slide. lf the slide a, has terminated its forward movement and if it automatically returns in the manner to be hereinafter explained, then the lever 16, with the detent 18, will also be moved back by the spring 42 from the position shown in Fig. 5 into the position shown in Fig. 6. During this time the pressure-roller 21 passes into the next recess 41, so that all the parts of the separating and holdfast device again take up, under the influence of the springs 84, 35, and 27, the inoperative position (shown in'Fig. 4) and leave the way clear for the feed of the next stamp.

The device for releasing the delivery-slide may be seen from Figs. 2, 7, and 8. The slide a has a recess 45, which normally lies within the guide 46, according to Fig. 2, in such a way that the coin 48, introduced through the passage 47, is held back. The coin is then in front of the free end of the lever-like part 49, sloped off in a downward direction, which is rotatable at 50. The slide a has, furthermore, a catch 52, which upon its forward movement, as shown in Fig. 8, comes in contact with the end of the lever 49. The coin then presses against the sloped-off part 51 and lifts the lever 49, so that its end no longer lies within'tlie scope of the catch 52, which can be drawn out without hindrance, whereupon the coin 48 falls through a passage 53 into the receiver. Vhen the slide a has returned to the position shown in Fig. 2, the lever 49 again forms the locking mechanism. The spring fi, Fig. 8, which is set on pulling forward the slide a, ltends to pull it back again; but this, however, after once starting the selling process cannot be effected till the slide has been entirely pulled out. For this reason a locking TOO IIC

device is located at y, Fig. 8, which can, for4 instance,` be made 1n such a way that `the slide is provided on its top side with teeth, with which a pawl engages and prevents it upon being drawn out from prematurely and automatically going back again,. (Fig. 8, position shown full line,) and also prevents it on returning from beingpulled out` again. (Fig. 8, position shown in dottedlines.) The change of position of the pawl G is effected upon termination of the slide travel in the oneor the other directions by means of the two recesses 55v 56. The back travel of the 4slide a, takes place after the reversal ofthe locking/device under the influence of the stress of spring i,'but any violent recoil is .prevented `byv-means of an air-cushion K,

which consists of, a plunger and a cylinder mounted upon the. slide and provided with air-outlets in the, knownmanner. There is also an arrangement provided by means of which the placing in motion of the-self-vending machineis prevented assoon as the store of-goods is exhausted-that. is to say, when -thereare no more strips of stamps at disposal. For this purpose there is used a twoarmed lever 58, Fig. 3, which is rotatable at 59 and which rests loosely upon the band with one of its ends, which is provided with a pin or the like. When the last stamp or last portion to be separated from the band or lstrip to be cut off has passed under-the lever Vward movementof the slide @can takepl ace inthe direction of the arrow I, releasing the.

lockingA devices 49 50 51, Fig. 2. At the Sametime the stretching tight of thevstamps is effected by means of the levers 28 25, and

`thereupon theseparation isA effected by the .descent of the blade 32 under the iniiuence of the change-wheel 20, rotated by the shoulder 14 of the slide a. .During the forward movement. of theslide the feeding device 5 6 7 is moved back by the agency ofthe lever e. .Not until the forward movement of the slide c is the tension and holdfast device released by the change-wheel 20, whereby the passage is left clear for the further onward movement of the strip. Not till then does the purchaser receivethe falling stamps, which can be conducted in any suitable manner to a passage leading to the point of delivery, and at this moment` the purchaser releases his hold of the slide a. At the end of .modified in many ways without the spirit of the invention being altered thereby.

I claimy l. In a machine for vending stamps or like articles in band or strip form, the combination of a hand-operated slide, guides for the `stamp-band, a rotatable wheel having peripheral projections and operatively connected with thehand-slide, a pivoted lever one end of which rides on said wheel, a stamp-separating device actuated by said lever as the latter tilts, avvertically-movable presser which -is normally spring-supported and operatively connected with the aforesaid lever so that. it is depressed to clampthe stamp-band when the lever tilts andbefore the stamp-separator acts, substantially .as described.

2. In a machine for vending stamps or like articlesvin band or strip form, the combination of a hand-operated slide guides for'the stamp-band, a rotatable wheel having peripheral projections and operatively. connected withsaid slides, a stamp-separating device operated by said wheel, means for clamping the. stamp-band just previous to the operation of the separator, and a spring connecting the latter with the clamp whereby theyare operated together and one in advance of the other, substantially as described.

3. In a machine for vending stamps or like articles in band or strip` form, the combination of a hand-operated slide, guides. for the stamp-band, slidable feeding devices adapted to engage the band for carrying it forward intermittently, a .pivoted lever connecting the said slide with the stamp-feeder whereby the feeder is advanced as the slide is retracted, and means for clampingthe'stampband preparatory to `separating a stamp therefrom., astamp-separator, and means for operating the clamp and separator, the same being connected with the slide, substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the character described, the. combination with a guide-passage for the perforated stamp-band and means for temporarily clamping said band and means for separating individual stamps therefrom,of a feed device and means for reciprocatingit, said device consisting of a series of pivoted teeth which operate independently of each other and work infrictional contact with the band so as to engage holes therein when IIC moved forward and slide free over said band on the return movement, as shown and described.

5, In a machine ofthe character described the combination with a guide for the perforated stamp-band, a pivoted feed device and a means for actuating it, of a spring 92 which serves, after the feed device has passed beyond the central position to throw said device into an inclined and normal position, as shown and described.

6. In a machine of the character described the combination with a guide for the perforated stamp-band and means for clamping it at points separated from each other, of a separating device which acts between the clamps, and means for actuating it, as described.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a stamp-separating device, means for temporarily holding fast the perforated stamp separated from the band, a slide a and means which connect with and serve to close the clamping means and a de vice which acts on the separating device subsequently to the closure of the clamp so that release of the separated stamp to be sold does not take place till after termination of the forward movement of the slide, as described. i

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a slide a, means for clamping a perforated stamp-band, a device for separating` from the band a stamp to be sold, a lever, and a rotatable member for actuating the separating device which is interposed between said slide and the band-clamp, as shown and described.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a slide, pivoted bandclamping members 25, 30, 31, arranged side by side,- a pivoted separating-blade arranged to act between them, a pivoted lever arranged to act on said separating device, and a toothed wheel acting on the lever, a spring connecting the outer end of said lever with the clamping members and means for operatively connecting the slide and notched wheel whereby the band-clamp is first closed and the separating device actuated subsequently, as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 8th day of September, 1903.

WILLY ABEL.

Witnesses z ARTHUR ACHUNAG, MARTHE BARKOwsKI. 

